Learn and Teach

Much has changed for me this year. I have been presented with challenges and opportunities from several angles throughout the year. I feel I have grown mentally from it all. I know that it is certainly not a night and day difference, but there is a difference nonetheless.

I am now at a point in my kung fu career where I have the opportunity to impart the knowledge I have gained so far to the kid's classes. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity, especially since I didn't expect to help teach officially for some time yet. It does seem quite surreal to be both student and instructor. It is something I've wanted to do since first stepping on the mats. I will be sure to not let the Sifus' down.

My next task then is to find a balance between teaching and continuing my own training with the same consistency as I have been, this includes my I Ho Chuan requirements. My numbers have diminished some since taking on my new responsibilities. I just need to rework my brain a little and I will be good to go again.

This will be a challenge for me and sets me up perfectly for next year. I am looking forward to how this chapter of my journey will unfold.

Take care everyone.

Mentality

Wow, it is Friday already! This week just flew by for me. There have been many obligations that have been keeping me running here there and everywhere. I have to re-solidify my routine, big time. One cause of this is I started a new career! One that is local, not just Edmonton local, but STONY PLAIN local. This allows me to be at the kwoon as much as possible. Finally! I can pick up from where I left off and increase my involvement in the school.

Lately I have been reminded of one of the key reasons and benefits of training here. You learn to put maximum effort into your training. Keep a black belt mentality. Don't just train for your current or next belt level, train for your black belt and beyond each and every day! It doesn't have to stop there, you start to put the same effort in everything you do. This eventually inspires others to go the extra mile and try that much harder in what they do.

It's all about continually raising the bar.

Take care everyone!

Change

The Festival of Trees went off without a hitch. I thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone performing their forms and was amazed by how much everyone has improved in the past few months. It was an interesting foreshadowing of the Chinese New Year. I will admit, it was very different for me, performing at a demo and not dancing in the lion. It is a first for me since joining the team. This is one thing I have learned greatly this year, step back and observe.

I am so accustomed to being in the thick of it that I never realized how beneficial it is to see how others do things and learn from that. Instead of focusing on improving just myself, I see the value in what others accomplish as well and draw in joy from that as well. This year has definitely tested my ability to remain vigilant in my training even though it seems to me like I have hit a plateau. This is because I see it in others that feels the same way. Being able to relate to those who are struggling definitely imbues wisdom in a person.

Keep up the great work team! I am excited for the new year!

Take care everyone.

Solitude

Well, my time in Fox Creek is coming to an end. The season is over and we are closing up here. I am thrilled to be returning for good. Time to catch up and get back on track! We have the most important part of our year coming up, Chinese New Year, and I intend to be ready and able to assist with anything and everything I can.

My time here has served me better than I had originally intended. The work here is fairly straight forward and rudimentary so there is not really any reason to speak to other workers. This being the case, I have spent most of almost 3 months here by myself. Alone to stew in my own self-talk. Some good, some bad. I spent some time wondering how one gets into a spot such as this; being absent from from everything that defines who I am, just to afford to live. Hearing about life back home unfolding both positively and negatively with no way of helping or contributing in any way other than commenting. I spent much of my time wishing I could do more.

I eventually started realizing, (and perhaps I knew this already in some way) that no matter how I feel and how much I wish, some things are out of my control. Many things are out of my control in fact. I can’t be home with family or at kwoon training the because I am here, I am here because I was lucky enough to get a job in this crazy economic time. So that is what matters, what is directly in front of me is all that exists. My home, it doesn’t exist. My family, doesn’t exist. The kwoon, you guessed it, does not exist. My shovel, the dirt around me and the sky are all that exist when I am working. If I think of anything else, my thoughts instantly go back to home and I begin worrying about what is transpiring and how much I want to be involved.

Let the pieces fall where they may, concern yourself only with what you can do and be happy with it. If not, your outlook on life will always seem negative.

I feel extremely lucky to have experienced this time of solitude. It really cleaned out a lot of mental garbage. I am excited to come back, more wise than I was when I left.

Take care everyone!

Narrow it Down

So far, this week has proved the most difficult with regards to keeping with my training. I have still remained engaged, but it has just been lacking the enthusiasm I have become accustomed to. I’ve been scratching my head over this all day. What is the root cause of this and how do I fix it before it becomes worse?

In class, there is a specific focus planned, a lesson to be taught to the students. There is structure and there are instructors to give feedback. When you are only training by yourself, this does not happen. You have to create the structure you want to follow.

To this point, my solo training has had little to no direction. I would just do the same thing day after day. I have been attempting to stay current with my curriculum techniques in order to progress when I return to classes. The problem was I have been over-focussed on this. It was the only thing I did aside from my I Ho Chuan numbers and I have become complacent.

I realize now that I need to switch things up during the week and narrow down what I want to practice that night. This should keep me motivated and I will be training will gusto again soon enough! Tonight I am going to focus on my kicks, maintaining proper technique while speeding up as I go.

Take care everyone!

Tai Chi

Today marks 3 years since I stepped onto the kwoon mats for the first time and began learning Tai Chi. It feels way longer than that, I’ll tell you. It has been the base for my training and has definitely assisted it in ways I cannot imagine or haven’t even realized yet. When I started, I was rigid, clunky, without flow. This form has taken that clunky robot man and began the process of making him more like a flowing river.

I find Tai Chi to be even more beneficial mentally than physically. It is an easy way to melt away all the stresses and problems of the week and start the weekend right. It is my favorite class taught in the kwoon. Being that it is a soft style I know that it is going to take decades to master, so every subtle sign of progression is appreciated that much more.

Sifu Dennis and Sifu Vantuil do a fantastic job of keeping the class engaged and are always ready to answer any question with an infinite amount of patience. Thank you for the opportunity to learn this beautiful art.

Take care everyone.

On Two Wheels

I have been taking advantage of my time at camp to address one personal goal that I have struggled with this year and last year. Distance on the bicycle. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but with the hectic day to day activities it is difficult to find the time to do it. I took my bike up here with me in hopes of riding after work and relaxing.

It is dark early in the evening this time of year, it is not particularly safe to ride on the road when it is like this. Then I thought about riding between camp and the plant. It was a perfect idea with several benefits. It reduces wear and tear on the vehicle, I don’t have to go out early in the morning to warm it up and it stays cleaner. The bike also pollutes less, zero pollution in fact. I get some exercise and my goal is slowly going up. Not to mention the awesomeness of using a bike to commute to work!

At this rate I will not attain my goal, but this has given me some insight. It takes only a few minutes to get the distance I need to reach the end goal. In the grand scheme of things that is not a lot to ask for. If I manage my time correctly once I get back into a routine at home, I should be able to allocate the time to get on the bike more often. Nothing extravagant like 30 km in a day is necessary. Even just a little bit everyday makes all the difference.

Just something to think about for next year and the remainder of this one.

Take care everyone.

Vegetarian Challenge

It has been 10 days since I started the vegetarian challenge, one third of the way there. Not that I'm counting, I'm finding this to be incredibly easy in fact. There of course is the occasional craving for meat, but it usually subsides quite quickly. It doesn’t hurt that the only food I have to eat is the stuff I bring up to camp, I couldn’t break the challenge even if I wanted to.

Meal preparation has become quicker and easier, not as many salads as one might think. Mostly stir fry dishes with several kinds of vegetables and grains such as rice. Beans and mushrooms have been the main substitute for meat and that’s no problem because I ate both a lot of the time anyway. If all else fails I just throw a bunch of fruits and veggies into a blender and I have an instant meal in the form of a smoothie. No matter the format, an abundant amount of leafy greens and full coloured fruit and vegetables is the key.

To be honest, I haven’t noticed too many positive effects in terms of mindfulness yet. Many of the choices regarding my food stem from the paleo style diet that I stick to. I have been more mindful in my meal planning to ensure proper balanced meals, this is a start I guess. These are early days though, I’m sure it will become more apparent eventually.

I’m glad everyone enjoyed the form seminar. That is certainly one of my favorite days of the year, to learn so much in so little time and then present it in front of a panel of black belts is both nerve wracking and thrilling all at once. Certainly a benefit to anyone's progression and confidence.

Take care everyone!

Close Quarters

The snow is falling heavily here at the gravel pit, work hours are steadily decreasing and there is a lot more down time at camp. What does someone do with so much time on their hands? My training has definitely benefited from this extra time. However, my training area is a tad small, there is about 6x12 feet of floor space. This isn’t much to work with when you are swinging a stick around your neck and shoulders, doing your best not to drop it or put a hole in the wall or windows.

At the same time this is the very thing I need in my quest to master this form. There are certain movements that still are not coming out right, the stick does not end up where I intended and I lose flow. With the quarters being so close, I need to be extra mindful of my body movement in relation to the weapon in order to avoid colliding with anything. There have been several “Ah ha!” moments when improvising to my surroundings. These are improvisations that likely should have been implemented in the first place, but the necessity just wasn’t there until now. My connection to and control of the weapon has increased greatly in the past couple of weeks. I’m beginning to feel it more as an extension of my own body rather than a separate entity.

Good luck to all of you participating in the Forms Seminar! Take care everyone.

Jax

The benevolent foundation funds 5 different small charities. One of these, my favorite from the get-go, is the SCARS society. They rescue and rehabilitate animals that might not have the ability to survive. They treat their wounds and provide them with new homes. This is the case with our new cat. This is Jax.

Jax was hit by a car, he miraculously survived and his tenaciousness gave him the drive to limp his way back home. Luckily, his previous owners were able to bring him to the vet clinic promptly. However, they soon found out that they wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of the surgery required for his leg. He was essentially on the chopping block when a last minute call to SCARS saved him. They decided to take him in and pay for his surgery.

After a successful procedure, Jax then stayed with a foster family to await a permanent home. After applying on the website and meeting the foster family, we were able to bring him home a couple of weeks ago. You can barely even tell anything happened to him, aside from some sensitivity on his right side as well as some minor limping from time to time, he is in perfect health. Jax seems to have adjusted to life in our home and is getting along quite well with our other cat.  

It is an interesting experience being on the other side of the charity process. Here is a tangible, first-hand example of what we are supporting. If it wasn’t for SCARS, Jax would not be here today. If we did not bring awareness to SCARS and assist in their funding, they would not be able to give animals the second chance they deserve. Let’s keep up the good work with our foundation and continue to spread awareness of these charities we support throughout the entire year.

Take care everyone.

Cooking

I have always loved food. Let’s face it, there are times where I can be quite gluttonous. It’s really only been in this past year where I have learned to slow down, enjoy and be mindful of the food I am eating. I still have my moments, just now I devoured an apple while writing this so I can get it done in my lunch break. I am getting better though I swear!

I think part of why it is working for me this year is I have been cooking more, a lot more! It is easier to be mindful of your eating if you are mindfully preparing it. I find it more enjoyable to cook with others as well, you feel more connected to the meal you are enjoying if you had a hand in the preparation and the sense of accomplishing something together is like nothing else. I have also learned a great deal about it and I am more confident in my ability. It is a life skill that everyone should know how to do.

I appreciate my food more now. Even if I am just a guest at someone’s house and didn’t get a chance to contribute, it is easier to recognize the work that has been put into it.

Take care everyone!

Like You Mean It

Training out of town is interesting. It reinforces the need to practice mindfully. You can train everyday without fail, but if you are not doing it correctly and return to the kwoon for feedback, you will be less likely to progress. You may then become frustrated that you put in all that work just to seem to be in the same spot you were in when you left. This is where training properly anywhere you are is vital. Train like the Sifu is right there watching you. Be sure every push up you do is all the way up and down, every horse stance is the better than the last one and your forms are crisp, with flow and intent.

If you do not include these crucial details, you will simply get your body and mind accustomed to the wrong practice and it will take a long time to fix it, further hindering your progress. This is something I have realized and have concentrated on for the past few weeks while running back and forth out of town. If you want to progress and grow as a martial artist, YOU have to make it happen. It is true you will have people there for you to help you along the way in one fashion or another, but you need be the one doing what is necessary at the end.

Quality over quantity, practice like you mean it! This is your best bet.

Take care everyone!

Integrity

The spoken word is incredibly powerful. The words you say and how you say them define who you are and can even shape you're future. Your word must be true and unwavering.

Sometimes life makes it difficult to keep your word impeccable. This is something I'm figuring out quite quickly. I'm making an effort to speak less but be more meaningful. I like to be someone who has integrity. Who says something and follows through. I also like to let people know what is going on, but I can understand that is starts to get confusing when I say one thing and something else happens instead. I don't want to become like the kid that cries wolf, I mean who does?

I'm working at it and it is coming along. Speak less, listen more, this is my objective. I will still keep everyone in the loop, I will just be a little more wise in what I say and when I say it. Let's see if this works. It's all about going with the flow!

Take care everyone.

Responsibility

The countryside out in Fox Creek is amazing! Thick forests cover rolling hills with rivers crossing through them. The leaves are even changing which adds to the beauty. Nothing beats training in a place like this. The air is so fresh and relaxing!

This is something we need to preserve. Steps need to be taken to ensure that we don't build up our society too large, too fast.  I'm not saying that I am against progress, I am amazed by incredible technology that has come about in the last decade alone! I simply believe there is a cleaner and less impacting way to produce this technology.

For instance, energy. Many parts of Alberta has the most sun hours in the entire country and yet our energy is still largely driven by fossil fuels such as oil and gas, even though solar power and other forms of producing electricity are available and quite feasible.

We could even start small. Remote sites such as the one I am working at could easily implement solar power. There are those that would argue the fact that it would be very expensive to do so, I beg to differ. When you take in account the thousands of litres of fuel burned everyday, plus maintenance costs and parts. That and how about no emissions! It's a no brainer to switch.

I understand that it all can't be done right away. It is a baby step process. However, if we all do our part we can keep the world green for our children and our children's children.

This is our responsibility, let's not take it lightly.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Monkey Mind

I have had several reminders in the past couple days that I have been thinking too much and not remaining mindful in my day to day activities. Slamming my thumb into a window at work, slicing my finger open while preparing supper and getting too excited for a job opportunity and acting upon it, only to find out it was never going to happen. I have lately had a feeling that I'm just along for the ride. My mind is too preoccupied with everything at once.

Imagine a monkey in your head chirping and chittering nonsense, this is called monkey mind. My monkey mind is going crazy and I have been dealing with it the wrong way.  I recently watched a short video about meditation and controlling your monkey mind. It's not about stopping it. The more you fight the monkey mind, the more it chatters away at you. Instead, welcome it and give it something to do. Give it something to chatter about that helps you not hinder you, for example, breathing. The link to the video is below.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154053656801130&id=18468761129&ref=bookmarks

This is something I need to work towards. I'm not careless, I know that. I am striving to think before I act, not get too ahead of myself. Time to learn from these experiences and move along.

I understand this has been a common theme in my blogs for almost the entire year, so I thank you all for your patience and understanding.

Take care everyone!

Stretch

Throughout my training so far, flexibility and body awareness has been something I have really needed to work on. Perpetual training has helped of course, but a slightly different approach can do wonders.

Mel was interested in getting back into yoga for some time. I have never done it before, but I am never shy of trying something new. We did some research online and found a great establishment in Spruce Grove. For the past 5 months or so, we have attended yoga classes once a week. It's a warm flow with a bit of a slower pace. I have certainly felt the benefits. My hamstrings are particularly tight and many of the poses stretch them out. Even they are now beginning to limber up. I have been noticing greater awareness in my posture and stances as well due to the length of time we take each pose. Now I must take this awareness and apply it more to my kung fu training. This will take some time for sure, but will definitely be worth it.

Aside from the rewards already mentioned, it is an enjoyable way to stretch everything out and reinvigorate the mind and body.

Take care everyone.

Keep Calm

In life we face moments that are troubling and stressful. Events occur that cause a pivotal change in our life and put it out of balance. These times push what we can do and test who we really are. It can be hard to keep things together as more and more builds up.

You may be tempted to give up, to take the easy way out and ignore it. This doesn't help, it gets you nowhere. In fact it will only make things worse.

In our curriculum, we are taught right from white belt that the first thing to do in self defence is to remain calm. The need for self defence will more likely to come in other forms than physical confrontation. It can be easily transferred into situations in the real world. Remaining calm and keeping yourself in the present is key. Even if the present seems negative or bleak. Don't look at the future nor the past, neither can help you. When one remains calm, time almost slows down. It is easier to acknowledge what is happening and it allows you to make better decisions in response. Smile, you are alive and breathing. Take life day by day.

Take care everyone.

"Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel, you can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place."
- Iroh (Avatar: The last Air Bender)

Family of Wolves

This past weekend five of us from the I Ho Chuan team travelled to Golden to visit the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre.  We went there to learn more about the latest addition to our five charities and get a first-hand look at these magnificent animals and how important they are to our ecosystem.

Wolves are a keystone species. This means that they have a very critical purpose in keeping balance in nature. Without wolves the herbivores do not have a natural predator. The vegetation then suffers and the rest of the species relocate.

However, what really spoke to me was just how family oriented wolves are. Every member of the family has a purpose, they all look out for each other. It is quite admirable. They have a set task for everyone. Even the Omegas, the ones in the pack that can't hunt or lead are tasked with watching over the young ones while the rest go out to hunt. This is a very important task!

I thank Sifu Randy Langner for organizing this trip. I had a fantastic time and learned so much.

Take care everyone.

Boot Camp

It's amazing how fast this year is progressing. Another boot camp has come and gone. It was a fantastic and educational day. I'm quite thrilled about what we all had a chance to learn that day.

The limits were pushed, both internally and externally. Getting a first glance at breathing energy through my limbs was quite interesting. I have felt and recognized chi in the past, but never have I been able to apply it. Not that I can yet now anyway, but I at least have a basis to go off of now.

The multiple fitness classes were great, it's always fun to see what you can do and correct accordingly.

I feel fortunate that I was trusted with being the example opponent in the Sanshou seminar. It certainly was good practice for both reaction time and proper break fall technique!

Learning bits and pieces of other styles is always a treat. It's nice to see what else is out there and compare. Bagua walking was quite interesting. Focussing on your hands and letting the world spin around you was pretty unreal. The different stances and concepts as well, definitely cool.

Now for my favorite part, the lion dance drumming. I am just hooked on lion dancing, the history, the technique, the teamwork, everything. When I heard I might have a chance to learn the drum I was ecstatic! To interact from the other side was very interesting, I certainly have a whole new understanding of what it takes. It's not easy, especially when the lion takes forever to throw the lettuce.... (hehe, oops)

The boot camp is by far one of the most important days of the year. Three times I've gone and three times I've come back with a gigantic grin on my face. I can't wait for next year.

Take care everyone.

What I Gotta Do

Let me start off by clarifying something about my last blog. I did not intend for it to be a doom and gloom type of spiel. I think the outcome of my trip was great! Not the desired outcome of course, but the lessons learned and memories made were well worth it! Besides, this gave me a chance to go home early, attend an I Ho Chuan class I thought I would miss and make some employment changes.

I have taken up another job, not one involving my trade sadly yet, but one that will put me in a better position financially. Unfortunately, it comes with a price. I will be working 6 days a week now, long days too. I will be absent from the kwoon on Saturdays from this point on for a while.

Thankfully, I managed to get the next couple of Saturdays off for Boot Camp and the Wolf Walk. I made sure if that!

After that though it's work work work. I'm alright with this actually, I'm not about to start complaining about such a thing, I am grateful that this came about. Besides, it is just a part of our lives that cannot be ignored. Instead it will be embraced! Go with the flow and welcome this as an opportunity to learn something new! Who knows what doors this may open in the future.

I will still be making the evening classes during the week even if I have to rush straight from work to make it in time, I will NOT let this hold back my training, inside the kwoon or out.

Take care everyone.

We Just Lost the Moon

Hello everyone,

For those of you who have been following in on my motorbike adventure and are concerned with our sudden lack of progress, rest assured that we are alright.

We were travelling through the Kentucky mountains early this morning when we had an engine failure. My dad's fuel injection system failed with no way to repair it, we were sitting ducks. We knew right then, the trip was over.

As Jim Lovell said during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, "We just lost the moon.."

After getting his bike to the nearest town, which included me actually towing it with my own, we managed to rent a truck and are taking the most direct route home.

It is a shame though, we came so close, SO close! 1,400 miles roughly to finishing 49 states in ten days and completing the iron butt challenge. Not only that but finishing 9 provinces in the remaining 4 days afterwards for a potentially brand new challenge.

Even though we did not finish we had a great time, I'm glad I had a chance to do a trip like this with my dad before it was too late.

So here we are, homebound...

Take care everyone.

Here it Goes Again

Hi everyone. Well, I'm off on another seemingly impossible motorcycle trip. For those of you who don't know, my Dad and I are attempting to cross 49 states and 10 provinces in 14 days. Crazy right? You need to do some crazy things in your life, otherwise it becomes bland and uninteresting.

The point is we are pushing our limits. Neither of us have attempted such a feat, most of those we told about this trip have been quite skeptical. The odds that we will actually finish are not great, but that is certainly not stopping us.

The last few days have been spent doing final preparations and my training has suffered a little. I missed two classes this week including an official I Ho Chuan class. For this I apologize, I simply needed to focus on it to have the best chance of success.

Anyway, time to get back on the road. If you wish to follow along, I have the link to my GPS tracker below.

Take care everyone! See you when I get back!

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0R3pzq9yzQiguEAoQtUiAGP2A8pneYmlO

Don't Forget!

Hello everyone, time is just flying this year! We're into July and summer is in full swing! Canada Day was an amazing success. We have an amazing team here. There were plenty of helping hands, all who showed up put 100% into the day. Nothing short of incredible, thank you!

In the time between demos I decided to pull out the old daggers and give them a whirl behind the tent. I was shocked to find out I had forgotten some of the movements! A form that I developed and practiced hundreds of times and I forgot! It took me a little while to get it back, reaching into my memory and even closing my eyes while letting my body memory take over. Thankfully I eventually got it back, but I may not next time if I don't continue to practice it.

A lesson for all I guess. Maintain what you have learned in the past, for you may need it in the future.

Take care everyone!

Kissing the Earth

Last weekend we were hiking in Jasper National Park. I have gone there dozens of times and will go dozens more and still will be amazed by the beauty it has to offer. While walking up a path at Mt. Edith Cavell, I took my time, taking in everything I could from my surroundings. This gave me the thought of practicing mindful stepping. Softly stepping with control and really being aware of the ground underneath my feet. I actually found this to be more of a workout too, as I needed to walk with control, placing my foot down then transferring weight.

I had a great time! I was glad I could take take this as an opportunity to apply concepts learned in kung fu and apply them to other aspects if life. This including something as simple as walking in a beautiful mountain range on a warm sunny day.

Take care everyone.

Head in the Game

Hello everyone,

Time to catch up on things. I have been going through my head lately what I could have done differently to avoid getting laid off. Did I not work hard enough? Absolutely. Looking back, I find I was quite mediocre in my day to day job activities. I was never present in the moment and watched the clock a lot. I definitely could have been more active in my job and may have actually still had a job as an electrician right now.

I try not to think about that though. I know for a fact that there is nothing I can do about it now but learn from it, and learn I sure have! Losing my job was the pebble that started an avalanche. I now am working in a job where the hours vary from day to day, depending on what the task is and how much you can get done. So if I just doddle around, I will be there longer, I won't go home as soon and it certainly doesn't look good for me from the management's point of view.

I am getting a great lesson in  becoming and remaining self motivated, certainly something I need to be when starting my own company.

Take care everyone!

Refocus

I am once again acknowledging the fact that my day to day training regiment has been pretty lacking as of late. I'm just going to leave it at that now, I don't need to keep saying it over and over again. Instead, this time I will relate my thoughts on why this has happened (mostly anyway) and what I'm doing to address and correct it.

This year I decided to reduce my number posting from each day to once a week, believing that it would be easier to just tally it up when I get a chance at the end of the week. This has not worked obviously, as weekly turned into bi-weekly which turned into monthly into nothing... You get the point.

So I asked myself, why isn't this working? I think it's pretty clear now that I have had time to analyze it. When I posted my numbers daily, I was holding myself accountable for everyday engagement by putting it out there for everyone to see. If my numbers were lower than I wanted on a particular day, I was immediately held accountable and had to correct it right away. This also motivated others to post more frequently and kept everyone in the loop.

So how am I going to correct it? I found a method of recording that works for me to streamline everything and make it easier to get into a routine. Typically I was writing my numbers in a book and then tallying it up at the end of the day. This time I built a simple spreadsheet on google sheets with the dates and requirements on my phone that I can update during the day with relative ease and simply copy and paste everything onto a numbers post just before bed. I haven't actually done this yet, but I've been testing it out the past few days to see how it all should work. I guess we'll find out tonight now won't we?

I do need to say though that if I'm travelling and unable to access the internet I won't be posting for those days, at least not immediately. I guess that goes without saying obviously. I just find that if I disclose as much as I can to everyone I won't feel as guilty when the time comes. This doesn't happen very often, but in case I miss a post that's most likely the reason why.

It's handy that it is the beginning of the month, it's easier to start anew this way, in my opinion anyway. If I can get myself motivated to refocus, I can start motivating those around me. Lead by example!

Take care everyone!

Lighting My Own Path

So I have been struggling with my mindset for the past few weeks. What am I doing with my life? Where am I going? What am I going to be in 20 years? I'm in a state of mental flux and it is showing in my kung fu. I have been constantly distracted and unfocused.

However, this week I'm on a bit of an upswing. Things are a little more settled and I'm more relaxed. I have found the inspiration to drive forward.

I have made a executive decision and invested money in it. This decision is to start my own company. I will not simply be doing electrical work, this idea is a little more specialized. I registered and paid for courses involving solar panel installation. This will be happening at the end of June.

This is a concrete decision. No more humming and hawing about it! This IS what I'm going to do. My mind is set. I need to take care of myself and family and cannot do that if I can't provide. I cannot provide if I am constantly waiting for a phone call saying I have a chance at a job.

I'm scared though, absolutely terrified! What if I can't find any interested customers? What if I can't get the job done as fast as want? What if I get overwhelmed? This is going to be the most daunting task in my life do far. I think it's worth it on several levels to go through with it though. This is the perfect time in my life where I can take a chance like this.

Besides, this goes right along with my desire to help create a greener and sustainable world! I believe that if something is not done now we are dooming ourselves. The amount of natural resources we consume on a daily basis is astonishing and can't be sustained for much longer.

With this decision, my mind is a little more calm. I can start focussing more on my kung fu now!

Wow, that was quite the rant. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone again for your support.

Take care everyone!

Perpetual Energy

The Pandamonium has come and gone once again. Wow it was fantastic! The 24 hour challenge was actually easier for me this time. It might have something to do with the fact that I wasn't simply on the mats the majority of the time during the daytime hours. I had a chance to interact with people outside and contribute with a multitude of things including the BBQ. It felt good to be able to feed people, or at least help anyway.

Now I know we changed the theme slightly this year, it was no longer about perpetual motion on the mats. However, I did notice perpetual motion of a different kind, an energy about the entire day that supersedes constant forms. It was amazing just seeing everyone contributing in anyway they can. The smiles, the laughs, the different seminars that were open to students and the public alike and having kids and adults sitting together and enjoying a movie.

Thank you everybody for making this another fantastic day, definitely worth staying up 24 hours for! Let's keep this abundant energy going!

Take care everyone!

Better Late Than Never?

Hello everybody. Just an update regarding employment. I have had a lot of questions about this. First off I'd like to thank you all. The support from the whole school has been paramount. I still haven't found an electrical job, but I am fortunate to have found something else in the meantime. One of my new job requirements is that I need to remain clean shaven. Oh boy, the funny looks I get, it is completely worth it though, I can relax a little now and concentrate more on other things now, the Pandamonium for example.

Research research research. This is my current initiative. The more I know and understand about these charities, the more attached I will be to them and the more confident I can be in promoting awareness.

It seems funny getting into it just weeks before the day. I'm not too happy with myself in this regard. There is nothing I can do about what I didn't do before, I CAN do something about what I'm doing now though. This is what I'm trying to focus on anyway.

Take care everyone.

Awareness

The last few days have been a good reminder to be happy with what you have and what is going on in your life. I am of course referring to the fires that are ravaging a couple parts of the province. It's all that is on the radio! 80,000 people being forced to evacuate their homes in Ft. McMurray alone! Finding refuge anywhere they can, many of them coming down here for help.

I was mentioning how my year has had a slightly bumpy start, that is NOTHING compared to what these people are going through. I look around and I am just astounded by how lucky I am. By how lucky we all are.

Now there is another point to this I would like to make. We all know about what is happening because we have been made aware of what is going on, through several different avenues of media. Be it radio, television or social media. It's right there in front of us! We need to find a way to use these resources to help us in making people aware of the charities we support and feel connected to them, or even just one.

I know I'm doing a lot of talking with little to show for it at this point, I'm just looking at what is happening in the news right now and seeing it as an example what we have to try to do, these are my thoughts anyway..

Take care everyone.

Another Great Trip!

It was great to return to Alabama for another build-vention. To reconnect with a unique group of dedicated and positive individuals as well as meet several more. The fact that we all traveled as far as we did to help a community of people that we didn't even know is absolutely amazing. It is a fantastic feeling to see how much working on these projects makes the locals so happy. Tom Callos mentioned several times that if we have the ability to get so much done for this community, there is no reason why we can't do that in our own. Especially since we have access to a much greater amount of resources than we do in Greensboro.

He is definitely someone I look up to when it comes to rallying people together for a cause. He is constantly engaged and keeps an eye on every task as well as makes sure every single participant is enjoying themselves and contributing. I certainly have a lot to learn in this regard.

This made me think about our projects in helping our community, particularly the upcoming Pandamonium. I'm a little disappointed in my personal lack of engagement with this project. I think my greatest fear with this has been my lack of knowledge of these charities and what they stand for. In an attempt to fix this, I have been reading up on all of them. Of course some of them speak to me more than others so I read more about them. I do find a value in knowing at least a bit of what they are all about as well as a good amount of a couple of them. This being said, after visiting each website, the charity that influences me the most is SCARS. I believe that every animal deserves a chance to live in a good home. The suffering of animals due to human influence hits me hard. I hope one day to adopt a dog from SCARS and give them a good home.

I also plan to continue to educate myself on these organizations to then spread awareness to the people around me and contribute more to this impactful event we have planned in two weeks.

Take care everyone.

Chugging Along

Hello Monkeys,

Just a general update blog this time. So the job hunt has still had no results so far, but this has given me a chance to try something I wouldn't otherwise be able to. I started my first step towards starting small projects of my own, making a living working for myself instead of relying on an employer. After one successful job complete, my interest and confidence with this prospect had grown immensely.

When it comes to my kung fu, I have been making good strides in my forms. Each time I do them I try to work on one specific part at a time. It's starting to pay off! It's starting to flow better and become something worth showing off to an audience.

It's strange, seems now that I'm not working I'm way more busy. Funny how that works.

Take care everyone!

Inspiration

Before a few years ago, I was not that much of a traveler. I didn't see the value in it. My thoughts were, "Why would I want to spend money going time somewhere else when I know I have to come back anyway, sounds silly" 

Now I look back and see that my logic was not too sound. You receive so much out of travelling! The people you meet, the places you see, the memories you create. I got to spend time with some really great people this past week while out of town. I was inspired by seeing what happens when a group of students train together in the martial arts nonstop for years. The opportunities that it will eventually present you. This acted as a catalyst for my training and gave me a slightly different outlook.

The lethargy I wrote about last week has diminished. I am now back on the horse, so to speak. I'm more motivated now and am working not merely towards progressing in belt level, but progressing in skill level. If I concentrate on perfecting my skills and remembering my basics, the progression will go smoothly. I have to be training for the right reasons and not get supremely discouraged when things get bumpy. I need to not let pride get in the way and instead look to my kung fu comrades and instructors for help, I would do the same for any of you. This is why we train together after all.

Take care everyone. 

Routine

It is amazing how much I rely on routine. I almost cannot function in any kind of productive capacity if I do not have one. I have realized this immensely these past couple of weeks. My motivation to practice any kung fu or do anything for that matter has been at an all time low. I feel a little ashamed even, being that last week I made all of these statements about how much I am going to take the extra time I have now and use it for training purposes.

I am not saying I have done nothing, a lot has been done in other aspects of my life that I normally would not get the chance to do. I am very happy with that and how life has been treating me, things are going well. However, not only have I not increased my training on my "time off", it has in fact dwindled.

Whether I am motivated or not I should make an effort to stay engaged, this I am aware of. I just have this crazy lethargic feeling that I need to break. I just need to make a new routine for myself, somehow...

Free Time

Last week I received a bit of a bombshell, something I was somewhat expecting but didn't want to believe was going to happen. Thursday I was laid off from my job. These things of course happen in this line of work, I just didn't think it would happen to me. We have another project coming up and I was notified I was going to be sent there. Apparently not.. This did give me some self doubt in my ability to get the job done... Am I really good enough? Or am I just under the impression that I'm doing a good job, when in reality I'm not worth the wage I am paid... I understand that I cannot get hung up on these thoughts, they are only assumptions created by my mind in response to the situation. I do my best and that's what I need to remind myself.

I am taking this as an opportunity to be more compassionate and sympathetic to people in this situation. I now feel the pressure that so many have right now without a job, I am on a common ground with them and I can truly understand their plight. I have been without a job before, but not with a house to pay for. The stakes are a little bit higher now. Frankly, I'm still glad it was me kicked to the curb instead of some of the other guys in the crew who have young families to feed.

As well I have the opportunity for more training time now, that's a positive note! The time I would be spending bending conduit or pulling wire can now be used to practice forms and get more pushups done in a day. I can place a little more focus on my kung fu. For this week anyway, I don't intend on staying unemployed for too long. I have an obligation to bring the bread home, so to speak.

I am grateful for the supportive friends and family that are helping me with this plan. As well as the Kwoon for being a place I can go to to regain my confidence and composure.

Thank you everyone, take care.

Mixing It In

Getting your numbers in through the day and maintaining the other aspects of your life can be quite difficult. I for one sometimes can't seem to find the time to set aside to get training done at home.. This is at least until it finally clicked in last week and I figured it out. Let me explain.

Before, I had the thought process of needing to set a solid hour or so for training at home every day after work and doing nothing else. This was not a very good plan in retrospect. Things come up and that hour is all of a sudden turned into 15 minutes. Or I fall behind with other responsibilities and become unnecessarily stressed. Don't get me wrong it worked a lot of the time, it was just hard to sustain.

For instance, I've been making an effort to spend some time with my little brother throughout the week. Being that he is living with me and my relationship with him is the one I chose to mend this year, I figure this is  very important. This of course cuts down on training time.

My "revelation" is simply what we have been told several times before. That is to not try to schedule time, but sneak some kung fu in amongst other activities I do. When playing games with my bro, if we finish a level or something, I do a rep of pushups, situps or either of my forms. When working on my motorcycle, if I take a part off or put one back on I practice on some curriculum. When I cook... well you get the idea. I am happy I have come to this realization, mixing my martial art with everything else I do will help me greatly on my path to mastery.

Take care everyone.

Do It Right

Last night I heard a saying, "No one seems to have the time to do the job right the first time, but they always have time to do it over again.". This resonated with me. I found it very applicable to both my career and my personal life.

I find too many workers on the job site, of any trade, including my own, don't take the time or effort to complete a task correctly the first time. Frankly, I don't understand it. We're here to accomplish something, why not do the best you can? You're even getting paid to do it! Even if not, I find that time is too valuable not to give it 100%. You most certainly feel better about it as well. I know this fact as I was on the other side of the fence before. Lumping around, trying to make the day go by faster, not really caring about what I was doing, when all along it was a simple matter of staying engaged and taking pride in my job and my craftsmanship.

I'm also facing this problem at home. There are several deficiencies regarding the construction of my house and getting the homebuilder to get anyone out here to fix it has been like pulling teeth. If they simply did the job right the first time there would be no issue and I wouldn't have to keep harping at them.

I'm not saying that everyone needs to be perfect, we all make mistakes. I know I do! There are plenty of times when I suffer from huge brain farts when doing or saying something. We all have those moments. However, if you just take the extra time to think about what you're doing, the end result will be greater and you will feel exponentially better about what you accomplished. To not accept mediocrity, this is key. These are my thoughts about the subject anyway.

Take care everyone.

Today

This past weekend we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday. It's interesting, throughout our busy lives we generally don't notice ourselves and those around us aging and changing. I was thinking about this during our dinner, I looked around at my family and thought about how much we have changed over the past few years, I remember when we all used to live in the same house. Way back then, I would quite often be thinking of what it would be like to be an adult, how to drive, have a job, etc. Nowadays, my older siblings have their own families to raise and take care of and I even have a place of my own! Kinda scary how fast time flies, I can't help but hear "cat's in the cradle" playing in my head while I write this.

This made me realize not to dream too far into the future, it will become the present before you know it. Having dreams and ambitions is good, but if you concentrate on today those dreams have a better chance of coming true. For me, this means not looking too far into my kung fu career. Yes, I have a dream of becoming a black belt and beyond someday and to help better those around me. However, if I do nothing but dream about it and neglect what I need to learn and accomplish now, that someday may not come at all.

These years as a que belt are the most important. They are base of my pyramid, if I don't solidify the base, the whole structure will be wobbly and unstable. Dreams are valuable and they give you something to shoot for, but sometimes you need to wake up and enjoy where you are today.

Take care everyone

.

All or Nothing

Today I analyzed how I go about my training, I have come to the conclusion that I am a bit of an extremist.  I have fallen into the trap of having to do things in the sense of all or nothing. I'm not entirely sure why I do it. If I'm too tired or unwell to do a full set of pushups or situps, I simply don't do any.

It might be because I have a set expectation about how much I need to do in a day and if I feel I can't, in anyway, complete this expectation I give up, thinking what's the point? 

If I really think about it, I've been stuck in this habit for quite a few years and it's not limited simply to my training. Errands and everyday tasks get left undone because I don't give myself enough time to finish all of them. If I don't have all the materials to complete a project all at once, I leave it for later. Tomorrow becomes next week becomes next month and so on.

So what's the solution to this? I don't exactly want to succumb to mediocrity. However, I need to at least accept the days when I don't quite do as much as my peak. 5 pushups in a day where I'm under the weather is still better than 0. As well at least this way I would not need to go as crazy with my reps to catch up to where need to be, potentially making myself sick again and starting the whole cycle of all or nothing once more.

"Always do your best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret."

- Don Miquel Ruiz

Push On With a Pushup

The dust settles as we move on to another year with whole new challenges. Congratulations to our newest Sifus, Sifu Krebs, Sifu Vanderham, Sifu Fuhr and Sifu Csillag. You all worked incredibly hard and I look up to all of you so much. Congratulations also to Sifus Regier and Vantuil for your promotions. You demonstrate to me what it means to be consistently improving. Also a congratulations to Sifu Y. Csillag, you're engagement in the school is of the caliber that I strive achieve one day. One more congratulations to all the students who received awards as well, you all earned them!

The banquet this weekend was phenomenal. It will be very hard to top this one for me. The emotional rollercoaster was absolutely intense! So much so I was still so full of energy yesterday. This gave me hope that I could beat that empty feeling afterwards that Sifu Brinker was mentioning to us earlier. Alas, this didn't happen, the hangover struck me hard today. As I woke up this morning I felt it, that weird feeling of emptiness. My bones were aching, my muscles sore. What happens now? Sadness was starting to creep up on me and as I looked down at the floor I noticed a yoga mat was rolled out beside the bed.. I smiled, and jumped on the floor to pump out some pushups and situps. This did help a bit, it helped me appreciate the little day to day acts that build up into a magnificent demonstration; knowing what it is like to achieve something as spectacular as we did on Saturday from something as simple as a pushup. Although, I think the empty feeling will stay for a little while. It's only natural after having such an emotional rush. 

One thing I thought of though while writing this. It's better to look to the horizon, not over the shoulder. Appreciate what we've accomplished but move on, move on to accomplish bigger and better things. Let's go monkeys, lets make these better things happen with the momentum generated by last year's team. All it takes is one pushup at a time..

Until then, take care everyone.

Little Bro

I hope everyone had a good long weekend. I sure did! It was great to go out and visit family this weekend. Although it was only briefly, it was nice to see them.

I've been thinking lately how people, including myself, treat strangers as opposed to our families. For the most part when dealing with strangers, we give them the benefit of the doubt and are patient with them. This is because I believe we truly want to be a nice person. We want people to like us and be drawn to us, rather than avoid and resent us.

However when it comes to the people we live with and see all the time, we become complacent and take them for granted. We begin to pick at what they do and become annoyed at their little quirks. We become less patient, why? Is it because we are comfortable and confident that they will still stick around regardless? Or that they will forgive you, fluffing it off as it just being the way you are?

These are the thoughts that come into my head after some of my interactions with my brother. I probably give the least kindness to him out of anyone and yet he deserves the most kindness. He took care of my house when I was gone for two months, continues to help out a ton and goes above and beyond when I'm not there during some of the week. He is immensely patient with my busy schedule and doesn't not complain really at all. He is an awesome roommate and I do not give him the respect he deserves. There are instances when I'm hard on him, telling to get stuff done like it's expected and I don't thank him nearly enough. This doesn't make me feel too great about myself and I become ashamed. I really just want what is best for him. I've told him this as well as apologized several times, but you can only say sorry so many times before the word loses meaning. I know brothers are supposed to be rough, this is no problem. However, being unnecessarily mean and unfair is not acceptable in my books. I don't treat my kung fu family that way and I sure as heck shouldn't treat my biological family that way either

I seem to forget what I was like at his age. Although it was only 2 years ago, I feel he has much more of his life figured out than I did. I need to show more appreciation. He's my little brother afterall, the only little bro I have. This is why the relationship between him and I is the one I will mend this year so we can enjoy our time together for years to come.

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is don't become complacent with your family. Love them for who they are. You never know if you'll be able to show them how much you do again.

You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.

Take care everyone!

Reflection and Moving Onward

Hello everyone,

The year of the sheep, my first year in the I Ho Chuan has come to an end. What an incredible year! I look back at myself a year ago and see a completely different person.

Perhaps different is the incorrect term, I'm a new and improved version of myself? That's probably a little more accurate. I have complimented my good habits and qualities while fixing and adjusting other qualities I felt needed to be addressed. The events and experiences that came about will definitely affect and contribute to the rest of my life. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, the opportunities that presented themselves to better myself in every way possible were immense.

I didn't realize what it meant to actually do 50,000 pushups and situps in the year. That is a ton! However, spread out from day to day it is ridiculously easy. Before I knew it I was at 40,000. Insane!

Now another point of note, make sure you actually know what day the new year falls on. For whatever reason I thought the new year was on the 13th. I had planned the rest of my pushups and situps in accordance to that. So when I found out it actually was today, I really needed to push myself. By Sunday I still had 350 to do. I was tempted to just live with it, saving my energy for the 1000 challenge today. Then I gave my head a shake and thought, "how could I get this far and be stopped by a mere few hundred?" So I buckled down and as wisely as I could in the time provided, I blasted them out. 50,000!! Unfortunately, most of my other requirements were not met. I just didn't manage my time well enough. This is something I really look forward to correcting in the year of the monkey.

Being diligent about recording numbers and posting them is a good way to do this, as it keeps your mind engaged and thinking about what you've done during the week. I encourage everyone on the team to utilize the numbers tab on the google+ page. It's a great way to see how everyone is doing and is another source for the team members working out of town to stay motivated an engaged. I know some of us post them in their blogs, I'm not referring to you, you're doing a great job! Thank you for posting them.

I decided to write this blog due to the amount I wanted to talk about this week. I do have a question though. How does everyone feel about the video blogs? I enjoy making them, but feel like I'm not quite able to articulate my thoughts as well as I can with writing. I am just looking for a little bit of feedback. I might swap back and forth between writing and video anyway, I missed writing to be honest.

I am very excited to see what this year brings our way. I'm quite optimistic that it'll at least be as good as last year, if not better.

Until then, take care everyone!

The Lion

https://youtu.be/GHUGNFnC83U

Working Together

https://youtu.be/6mTvlc7hjiM

Embracing the Moment

https://youtu.be/Atxw5Hw8WfQ

Failure

https://youtu.be/PJftYYs8TIY